In Case
by Swarek-Malfoy
Summary: Steve thinks about his regrets from the past and his hopes for the future while Kono is gone. Set after the season 3 finale. Oneshot.


_**A/N: This fic is based on the song 'In Case' by Demi Lovato, I love her music and I felt that this song fit well for McKono, it spurred an idea of how I would LOVE Kono's homecoming to be...eh a girl can wish ;)**_

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or the song In Case by Demi Lovato**

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**IN CASE**

Steve sighed as he pulled into his driveway; he got out of his truck and winced when he jostled his bruised ribs. Hazards of the job some people would say, Danny on the other hand would say that Steve himself was the hazard.

He pulled his house key from his pocket and something fell out and floated to the ground. He bent down to retrieve it and winced once again, this time not from the pain in his ribs…it was from the pain in his heart. As he looked at the faded picture of him and Kono, he was filled with sadness and regret. Man did he miss her. It's been 3 months since she left, 4 months since it ended between them, and the pain of missing her grew everyday.

He opened the freezer to get some ice for his ribs, and saw a box of Kono's fudgsicles, what he called 'coma on a stick'. He had no idea what drew Kono to all this junk food he thought as he remembered all the sugar cereal and cookies that were still in his cupboard. He still had no idea how she could eat all this garbage and still stay so fit.

He knows he should just throw it out, he knows he should let it go. But to him, throwing it all out would mean giving up hope…and he just wasn't ready to do that yet.

Catherine had tried to help him move on, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it, he just couldn't look at her and touch her like he did before Kono stole his heart…even the chaste kiss Cath placed on his lips felt wrong. Kono occupied his every thought and he knew nothing could change that. His broken heart was still in Kono's hands, and that's where it would stay. He only wished she would come home soon, even if it wasn't to him, because having her in his life in some capacity was better than not having her in his life at all.

He remembered that day 4 months ago like it was yesterday, the day he made the biggest mistake of his life. Kono had been spending a lot of time with Adam Noshimuri, she said they were just friends, but he wasn't so sure. He was always naturally suspicious, had been since he was a kid, and this was no different. The way he saw it, Kono enjoyed spending time with Adam and he began to believe she could be happier with Adam than she ever could be with him and he didn't want to hold her back from that happiness. He talked to her about it and told her that he thinks it's best that they go their separate ways. She looked confused, but he paid no mind to that, he was adamant that it was the right thing to do. She was so angry for some reason, angry enough to give him a black eye before she went to pack her stuff. On her way out the door, she tossed the jacket she loved…his jacket….in the trash. For the next month at work they hardly said a word to each other unless it was pertaining to a case. The fact that she left with Adam the moment he was in danger seemed to solidify his point that she had feelings for him.

After that painful memory passed through his mind, he looked in his closet, Kono's side was still empty, except for that jacket. He hasn't worn it since, unable to get past the memory of her wearing it, and unable to let it go. He still has this small shred of hope that someday she'll wear it again.

She was coming home.

She called Chin from an airport in China just before they finished for the day; she told him that her flight would get in around 3 am.

He had mixed feelings. Why did she decide to come home? Was she still with Adam? Or did he have a chance? Would she even give him a chance?

He and Chin waited silently at the Honolulu International Airport for her plane to get in. He wondered if she misses him at all, and if she could ever love him again. Chin kept giving him a look and after a while Steve got fed up, "What?"

"What are you planning to do?" he asked

"About what?" Steve played dumb

"You know what I'm talking about", Chin replied sternly

Steve sighed "I don't know…I miss her man"

"Then tell her" Chin said "But if you hurt her again…"

"I want to tell her…I wanna fight for her, I just…she's with Adam"

"She's no…"Chin trailed off when he saw her.

Steve's heart sped up at the most beautiful sight he's ever seen. She froze when she saw him, and soon began walking toward them slowly, her gaze never leaving his. He felt like his heart was going to burst out of his chest, and it was one of those odd times he couldn't tell what she was thinking. She surprised the hell out of him when she launched herself in his arms, causing him to stumble and almost lose his balance. He had no idea what was going through her mind, but having her this close was enough to make everything melt away. The only thing that brought them back to reality was the sound of Chin clearing his throat.

Kono pulled away from Steve and smiled, "Howzit Cousin?"

Chin looked at her a little confused before he pulled her in for a hug "Glad to have you back Kono"

Steve swallowed hard "Where's…Adam?"

Kono's demeanor changed when she looked at Steve, but when she saw the despair in his eyes that he tried so hard to hide, her anger dissipated, "He's still in hiding"

Chin didn't seem the least bit surprised, but Steve was more confused than ever.

"Um Chin…can I talk to Steve alone?"

"Sure", he gave her a smile "Steve, you can take her home…I'll see you guys tomorrow" He gave Kono another hug before he left.

'_What the hell is going on?'_ Steve wondered to himself.

"Wow, you're speechless" Kono joked

Steve shook his head "What's going on Kono?"

She gave him a smile "I'll tell you in the truck…boss".

"Please don't call me boss" Steve winced instinctively.

When they got to his truck, Kono started talking as Steve drove "To start I want to tell you that I was NEVER with Adam"

"But…"

"No buts, let me talk" she said firmly "Adam was only ever a friend, same way Danny and Charlie are just my friends" She waited for him to try to interrupt her, but when he didn't she continued "I was helping Adam to legitimize his family's business, that's why I was spending so much time with him…I was helping a friend"

"But you left with him" Steve said

"I didn't leave because of him, I went with him because I needed time away to sort myself out" she said "You broke my heart and seeing you everyday at work made it hurt worse" She saw him clench his fists tighter around the steering wheel "I did a lot of thinking while I was away, once my anger lessened….I realized how much I missed you" she laughed slightly "I made up my mind that once I got home, I wanted you back and that you had no say in the matter…Steve I want you know that I forgive you…but I won't forget"

"You…you never were with him" Steve said finally realizing how wrong he was, "Kono I'm so…sorry"

"I know you are, Chin explained to me how much of a reckless ass you've been since I left…well he didn't actually use those words" she said "I knew then that you were sorry because that's what you do when you're regretful or angry over something you did, you throw yourself into danger like you have a death wish"

He sighed, he did do that. He parked his truck and when he looked over to Kono, he saw through the passenger side window that he didn't bring Kono to her place…but to his place. "Sorry, habit" he said as he moved to put his truck in gear, but she stopped him.

"It's fine, I can use a good nights sleep" she said, she hadn't been able to sleep well the last 4 months, not without his arms wrapped protectively around her.

Being extremely tired, she immediately walked into his bedroom and opened his closet to get one of his shirts to sleep in. She did not expect to see her side still empty and she did not expect the jacket that she constantly stole from him to be hung up on 'her' side. "Steve…" she said quietly.

"I don't have a huge amount of clothes, you know that" he said, trying to cover up the reason her half of the closet was still empty, but he could tell she knew, "That jacket always looked better on you anyway"

She wrapped her arms around him, "I missed you" she said quietly

Steve hugged back "I missed you too" he replied nervously "I uh…you must be beat, how about you get some sleep…I'll be out on the couch if you need anything"

"No" she said "I want you to sleep in here…with me"

"Kono…"

"Just to sleep…I haven't slept well in months…not without you" she said

Should he tell her that it was the same for him?

She crawled into the bed and sighed blissfully, he hesitantly crawled in beside her and when she curled up against him, he instinctively held her tightly, this felt so right…she belonged here, in his arms. He cautiously kissed the top of her head "Kono?"

"Yeah?" she said sleepily

He was quiet for a moment before he worked up the courage to tell her "I…I still love you"

She quickly glanced up at him and saw the genuine love written on his face, she smiled and kissed him softly and slowly "I love you too Steve, so much…I always have"

He kissed her this time and it felt so good, she missed this so much and she could tell he did to. She snuggled closer to him and it didn't take them long to fall asleep, both exhausted from the months of longing and sleepless nights, and both glad to be back in each others arms…she was home and that's where she would stay.


End file.
